Software · head to head
Kong vs Backendless
Kong
Software
Cloud-native API gateway and service connectivity platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Backendless
Software
Visual app development platform with REST APIs and cloud backend
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Kong the Plus plan includes 1M API requests a month and charges $200 a month for each additional million; Backendless free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
- They diverge on capability: Kong covers API Gateway, Backendless covers REST API.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Kong and Backendless actually diverge.
| Attribute | Kong | Backendless |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | Unknown |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Kubernetes | Cloud, Visual builder |
| Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Kong
- API Gateway
- Authentication & Authorization
- Rate Limiting
- Kubernetes
- Consul
- Eureka
- PostgreSQL
- Linux support
Only in Backendless
- REST API
- Real-time database
- Cloud code
- Custom integrations
- Webhooks
- Cloud functions
- Cloud support
- Visual builder support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Kong
- Running an API gateway in front of internal and public servicesnot Backendless
- Publishing and governing APIs through a developer portalnot Backendless
Backendless
- API Developmentnot Kong
- API Gatewaynot Kong
- API Testingnot Kong
- API Documentationnot Kong
- Microservicesnot Kong
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Kong
- The Plus plan includes 1M API requests a month and charges $200 a month for each additional million
- Plus is capped at 10M requests a month, so growth past that forces an Enterprise contract
- Plus limits published APIs to 20 and includes one Developer Portal, with a second at $200 a month
- SSO and audit logging are Enterprise only
- Enterprise pricing is custom and billed annually
Backendless
- Free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
- Smaller community and integration ecosystem compared to Firebase or AWS
- Customization beyond codeless tools requires developer expertise
- Limited documentation for advanced use cases and edge cases
Pricing, plan by plan
Kong
Free- CommunityFree
- Core API gateway
- Community support
- Enterprise$undefined/monthly
- Advanced features
- Priority support
- SLA
Backendless
Free- FreeFree
- 50 API requests/minute
- 20 database tables
- 1 GB file storage
- Scale Variable$15/month
- Unlimited API requests/month
- 100 database tables
- 10 GB file storage
- Scale Fixed$15/month
- Same as Scale Variable
- Fixed monthly pricing
Which should you pick?
Choose Kong if
- You need api gateway.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
- You also want authentication & authorization.
Choose Backendless if
- You need rest api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud, Visual builder.
- You also want real-time database.
Questions people ask
- Is Kong or Backendless better?
- Neither clearly leads. Kong starts at Free and Backendless at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Kong or Backendless?
- Kong starts at Free and Backendless at Free.
- Does Kong or Backendless run on more platforms?
- Kong runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Backendless runs on Cloud, Visual builder.
- Can I use Kong for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Kong best used for?
- Kong is most often used for running an api gateway in front of internal and public services, publishing and governing apis through a developer portal. Of those, running an api gateway in front of internal and public services and publishing and governing apis through a developer portal are not what Backendless is typically brought in for.
- What can Kong do that Backendless cannot?
- Kong covers API Gateway, Authentication & Authorization, Rate Limiting, Kubernetes. Backendless covers REST API, Real-time database, Cloud code, Custom integrations.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Backendless: Does Backendless have a free tier?
Backendless Free plan ($0/month) includes 50 API requests per minute, 20 database tables, 1 GB file storage, 1 visualization, 2 security roles, and basic cloud code capabilities.
SourceBackendless: What features does the Scale plan include?
Scale plan ($15+/month) provides unlimited API requests per month, 100 database tables, 10 GB file storage, 5 visualizations, 10 custom API keys, daily backups, free SSL certificates, and 1,000 real-time connections.
SourceBackendless: Can I add more storage or increase API limits?
Yes, Backendless offers Function Packs ranging from $5-$399/month to increase specific limits such as storage, API requests, or security features.
SourceBackendless: Does Backendless support offline functionality?
Backendless supports real-time sync and offline capabilities for mobile apps, allowing data to sync when connectivity is restored.
SourceBackendless: Is Backendless Pro available for self-hosting?
Yes, Backendless Pro Community Edition is available under free licensing for core functionality. Managed Backendless is a paid option for self-hosted deployments with request-based pricing.
SourceBackendless: What are Backendless's integration limitations?
While Backendless supports many integrations, it has a smaller integration library compared to competitors. Finding solutions to edge cases or complex setups may require more development effort.
Source